Top News Stories in the Current World of Criminal Law

Not a day goes by that we don’t check the news and learn about a new case in the world of federal crime. In a world that seems increasingly at unrest, it’s important to stay on top of the news stories that can affect us all. Here are three current criminal law news stories that have stood out in recent headlines.

Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty

Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer of President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to eight counts of tax evasion following a lengthy criminal investigation. Immediately before Cohen pleaded guilty, reports were heating up that prosecutors were looking at the strong possibility of bank fraud charges against him.

It was reported in the New York Times that prosecutors have been looking at more than $20 million in loans where it appeared that Cohen falsified paperwork to Sterling National Bank to obtain these loans using his ownership in taxi cabs as a form of collateral.

While Cohen’s sentencing hearing is not scheduled until December, the consequences of his confession are far reaching, especially considering that he implicated President Trump by saying that “in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office,” he kept information that would have harmed the candidate during the 2016 election, including a “hush money” scandal.

Colorado Man Accused of Murdering His Family Points Finger at Wife

Christopher Watts, a 33 year old man from Colorado, has been accused of murdering his pregnant wife and two young daughters. Concerns about the wellbeing of his wife Shanann and their two daughters arose after a friend initiated a welfare check after suspecting that something wasn’t right within the home. When initially questioned, Watts claimed that he thought his wife was at friend’s house and pleaded that she return with their children.

As evidence mounted around his involvement in the crime, Watts came forward and admitted his guilt, but neglected to provide complete details initially. When he finally did come forward about the events that took place, he claimed that he had strangled his wife after discovering that she had killed their two daughters immediately following an emotionally charged conversation about the possibility of separating and dissolving their marriage. It’s been shown that Christopher Watts was having an affair with a coworker, which was the likely cause of their disagreement.

Both the defense and the prosecution are waiting on the Coroner’s report and DNA evidence to determine if Watt’s detail of events holds true.

Texas Doctor Accused of Rape Will Not Serve Prison Time

Shafeeq Sheikh, a Texas doctor accused of raping a heavily sedated patient will not face incarceration as a result of the guilty verdict in his case. Instead, he was sentenced to 10 years’ probation, a $10,000 fine and ordered to comply with the state’s sex offender registry.

In 2013 Sheikh was accused or raping a woman who had been heavily sedated to ease her asthma symptoms at Ben Taub Hospital where he was working the night shift. Sheikh admitted to having sexual relations with the woman but claimed that the encounter was consensual and made note that he was not the physician in charge of treating her.

The sentence, which seems light in comparison to others convicted of the same crime, came after his defense attorneys pleaded with the jury for a lighter sentence given the absence of past criminal activity.

Anyone who is facing criminal charges needs the help of a skilled criminal defense team on their side. When you need legal representation, we’re the criminal law experts you can count on. Contact Elden Law Group today for a free consultation about your criminal case.